Late Nights
by Oneesan Neko
Summary: The team's thoughts at night, right before they go to sleep
1. Campfire Monolouges

Campfire Monologues

Well here we are, the five of us seated around the campfire.  Brought together by the Shikon no Tama, we are now a group, chasing Naraku.  Each of us is different: A girl from the future, possessed of all the powers of her past incarnation as miko, and guardian of the jewel.  A half demon, lover of the miko who once held the jewel, sealed by her curse for a lifetime.  A fox child, a demon, whose father was killed for a shard the jewel.  A delinquent priest, getting us in trouble with his cursed hand and wandering eyes.  An exterminator, trained since childhood to kill demons, a girl who once tried to kill us all.  We have nothing alike but for the jewel and our friendship.  So we sit here, and we ponder the ties between us.

Kagome

(Love of Mine)

            They ask why I stay with you

            They call you violent, and say you don't respect me

            My friends, but they don't understand

            They only know my time, and it doesn't apply to yours

For assurance, I turn to those we both know

To Kaede, Sango, Miroku even Shippo

And ask, "What should I do?"

Miroku tells me to be patient

He praises me for my strength

And tells me not to lose my devotion

Kaede says that I am better than Kikyo

That you love me, not her

That I am not just any reincarnation

Sango understands in full the pain of unfailing love

She comforts me with a girl-friends gentle words of council

And I wonder, for her love is more lost than mine

And Shippo love, poor child

Wants only peace between us 

For his new family to love one another

And I, I want only for you to see me as I am

And realize, that I stay with you because I cannot help it.

Oh, I know that in spite of Kaede's words, Kikyo was far better than I

She was a miko, with power of her own

And she didn't lose the jewel, I did

It is my fault, that the Shikon no Tama is nearly corrupted and gone

I sit here and wish that I dared to share

My thoughts of you, and my dreams

I will let you go were your heart leads

As because I love I let go

But know if you need me I'm here

Because love, sorrow, anger and pain

I can't help it.

Shippo

(My Family)

When Otoo died I thought it was over

Though I hoped to somehow avenge him

I knew that so many were stronger than I

Who have only tricks and illusions

I looked for the shard to gain power

Instead, unlooked for found you

Though I taunted, teased and pestered

You saved me, made me your own and secured my revenge

I look at you now

Strange girl from the future

Wild half-breed and hunter

Priest monk child - perverted

Assassin, killer of my kind

Who would guess them for my family?

But I find they are

Kagome- both sister and mother to me

Inu-Yasha- an elder brother

Miroku- the uncle I never had

Sango- aunt and second mother

As I watch you I hope this journey never ends

I hope that we never go home

I could not be with just one without the others

You are my family.  I love you all

Sango

(Living Again)

When they died, I wanted to follow

Yet I crawled from my grave to achieve my revenge

Never hoping in any of my deepest dreams

To find a reason for living again 

My brother yet hunts me, though he knows me not

I have betrayed my friends for him

Yet in spite of betrayal they stand by my side,

(*Smack* "Hentai move your hand!")

Even when I would send them away

My body is covered by deep, heavy scars

My mind, is that of a fighter 

 In other places I might not fit in

But among them I have found a home

I realize that others than family can be trusted

And family may sometimes betray

In this new life I feel I have aged a thousand years 

From the girl that I once was

I could have lived solitary, practicing the trade that I know 

So easily, I could have been alone

In this my new life there are changes

Some shallow, some deep and profound

Kirara and I are no longer alone

Not even the respectful aloneness of rank

I have a sister, a kid brother, a grumpy old jiji

And a friend, a boy, a possible lover

Who can't keep his hands off of any woman he sees

A wild bunch, so strange, but I owe them my life

What better reason to stay?

Inu-Yasha

(Not Alone Anymore)

She tells me I'm not alone any more

She says she'll always be beside me

I love her I do, but I push her away

For my life, is owned by another

I sit here, at look over them, all the "friends" we have made

The strangers she has brought among us

And realize in my heart that I care for them too

Like family, like sisters and brothers

It's strange; I always wanted to be one thing or another

Yet here I am still a mixture, still different

And they tell me I'm outcast no longer

I realize I owe this all to that girl

I am glad that Kaede stopped me from killing her

Her and her "sits" may drive me insane

But I can't imagine any other

I am glad she understands about Kikyo

For I hate to cause her pain

But I need to know what has happened to my first love

Who owns my life, for causing her state

Unable to rest, cause of my secret shame

But, ah Kagome, Kagome, when you are gone part of me dies

I can't seem to live this life without you

Reminding me time over and over again

That I am not alone, not alone anymore 

Sleep well my friends

Sleep well, my love

I promise, no harm shall come to you

For I could not take it if I had to be alone again

Miroku

(Courting Death)

I will die soon, if not this year than next

Leaving my family's revenge unfulfilled

It seems as though we will never kill Naraku 

It seems I will never be free of the curse and the pain

I try to ignore it, I can't let them see

How much each day means to me

I don't fear death, it is my constant companion

The one lover I cannot leave behind

And yet, I worry how they will feel when I'm gone

These, the first real friends I've made

They know my secret, and I know theirs

Each others missions are also our own

Well, mostly

There is one mission that is mine, and mine alone

One mission in which they cannot help

An heir for my family, so that when I die

The family shall live on

Live on, to achieve our revenge

Live on, until one day we are free of the curse

Of the void.  It has become more important

Now that I have friends I can trust

That I keep my trust with my family

Wait.  I'm getting depressing

Well, there's only one cure for that

Sango!  What a lovely, firm, round, butt

Oh OWW!!  And what a strong arm

Maybe someday . . . what am I thinking

It's enough that I have friends who care.

            It's getting late.  The campfire is embers, and Shippo is yawning.  Guess it's time to stop introspecting and start getting ready to sleep.  Sango and Kirara have already moved off.  They always sleep together (mostly to avoid Miroku).  Inu-Yasha is in his tree and Myoga (*Splat*) Oh, there's Myoga.  Yaaaawn.  Another day, another adventure.  Better get some sleep.  

Oyasami Nasai

OneesanNeko (mrrrrow) 


	2. The Other Half

The Other Half:

We don't sit together, we don't eat together and in many ways we seem distant. Yet we are a group, a pack, and all that we are is in each other.

**Sesshomaru**

_(Broken Perfection)_

What is wrong with me?

How is it that I Sesshomaru came to travel with a human?

Why did I save her?

Why does she stay?

Why did I allow her to stay?

Truly, I wonder at myself

Since when do I care if she is happy

Oh, there I go again

Yet if it was simply making sure I did not save her in vain,

Would she still be here?

She would be safer elsewhere

Probably happier

My life would be quieter

So why do I keep her?

Did I just say "Keep Her?"

She is not mine, I have no ties to her

So why do I regard her as such?

Why is she so precious to me?

She is a weakness I cannot afford

But I can not bear to send her away

I've been alone all my life, and now I can't picture life without her.

I gave her her life back, and she,

She gives me a child's uncondtional love.

Everyday

Her smile, everything she puts up with,

For love,

Of me,

Cruel, heartless Sesshomaru, the emotionless lord of the western lands

Whose own brother hates him, (Not undeservedly, true)

And I , I love her for that

For not fearing me

For trying to help me in the only way she knows

By being there

I hate to admit it, but I must

After all, I couldn't use the Tensaiga if I didn't care

So that is my defeat

I, the great Sesshomaru, laid low by a pup, (my soul daughter)

Who I can't help but love.

**Rin**

_(Forever and Always)_

Sesshomaru-sama

When I first met him, I just wanted to help him

He was hurt and alone

And so was I

I didn't expect him to acknowledge

I didn't expect him to save my life

I owe him

But more than that

He was the first person I'd ever met who cared at all for my life

And I came to se that he was lonely

He didn't show it

Didn't admit it, even to himself

But I knew

I love him, how could I not

At first, he was just a benevolent stranger

But as I came to know him, I knew he needed love

I don't care what he has done, just that he cares for me

He needs me, and I owe him that much

He gave me my life back

He takes care of me

Never forces gratitude like Jaken

Is this what family is like?

Do they help each other like this?

Love each other like this?

Did my mommy love me like this before she died?

I used to think that she must have hated me

After all, she left me

After all, everyone I knew hated me

But Sesshomaru-sama doesn't

He's nice, and funny

He buys me things, and lets me pick flowers

If I had a daddy, I hope he was like that

I'll be like that with my children

He even stops Jaken from hurting me

Sometimes I make believe

I pretend we're a family

And that Sesshomaru-sama is my daddy

I wish it was true


End file.
